The law in the Body of Christ
Scripture Reading: Acts 8:4-8, 12, 14-17; 9:3-12, 15-17; 1 Tim. 5:22; 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6; James 5:14-16; Matt. 18:15-17, 20
In order to live the life of the Body of Christ, we must first have the revelation of the Body of Christ. If we do not have the revelation of the Body of Christ, we will never cease our individual activities. Some have said that there is nothing extraordinary about seeing the Body of Christ. Yet, brothers and sisters, if you see the Body of Christ, you will know that there are laws in the Body of Christ and that you have to act according to these laws; these are not empty words. If a man sees Christ, he will not try to save himself by his own works. Similarly, if a man says that he has seen the Body yet is independent and individualistic in his conduct, he is not holding the Head and has not received the revelation of the Body. If a man has genuinely received the revelation of the Body, there will surely be some change in him, and he will surely seek fellowship and learn obedience.
Authority in life
There are a few cardinal laws in the Body. Fellowship is one, and love is another. But another great law is submitting to the Head in conjunction with other members of the Body. A member by himself does not have any authority; the authority is with the Head. It is wrong for any member to say that he has authority. A member does not have direct authority; he can only derive authority from the Head. This authority is not a matter of position but a matter of life; it does not come by “appointment” but by one’s “being.” If a member is not an eye, the Body cannot appoint him to be the eye. If a member is not the hand, the Body cannot appoint him to be the hand. Because a member sees, he has the authority of seeing. Because a member can function, his function becomes a help to others.
In the church it is wrong to consider authority as a matter of position instead of life. It is wrong to make an appointment based on a person’s social status rather than on his spiritual condition. God’s Word shows that authority is in life, not in position. Authority lies in one’s living, not in his appointment. A man has authority in the church not by his position but by being dealt with in his experience and in many concrete matters. He has learned something before the Lord which others have not learned. As a result, the Lord gives him authority in life. In the Body of Christ, all authority is in life. God has made some appointments in a local church, but these are not according to position but according to life. When life and appointment are joined together, there is the need for submission. If one does not submit, life will stop, and he will be detached from the Body; this is the meaning of “not holding the Head” (Col. 2:19). If there is a problem between you and the members, your relationship with the Head will not be normal. If you are at odds with other members, you may still have your doctrine and work, but the word of life will be gone from you. Brothers and sisters, you may have been a believer for three years, but how much genuine growth have you gained? It is a pity that while your manner and knowledge seem to have improved, the life of the Body of Christ has not increased. In the church you should learn to submit to one another. If the members do not submit to one another, the life spoken of in Romans 8 can never be manifested. You will feel like a deflated tire, and it will be difficult for you to advance. Those who see the Body of Christ will spontaneously see that submission is a joyful thing.
The case in Acts 8 shows us the principle of the Body. At that time the church in Jerusalem suffered the first great persecution. The apostles did not leave Jerusalem, but the brothers were all scattered. The scattered ones went everywhere to preach the word. Philip was not an apostle. His ministry was to care for the food. Yet because he had life, he went down to Samaria to preach Christ and performed miracles; he cast out many unclean spirits and healed many paralyzed and lame ones. The whole city of Samaria was filled with the gospel. The Bible says, “And there was much joy in that city” (v. 8). This shows that many in the city of Samaria had believed. The Lord used Philip. But if Philip had been proud, he could have said, “In Jerusalem Peter saved many. In Samaria I saved many.” He could have considered himself a marvelous man in history. Philip preached the gospel in Samaria, but the experience of the ones saved in Samaria was different from the experience of the ones saved in Jerusalem. In Samaria the Spirit did not descend upon anyone. The Samaritans had genuinely believed, and they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Yet the Spirit did not descend upon anyone immediately. When the apostles heard this, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. When the two arrived, they prayed for the Samaritans to receive the Spirit. After the apostles laid hands on them, they also received the Spirit.
What is the meaning of the laying on of hands? Leviticus tells us that when one offered a sacrifice, he had to lay his hands on the head of the sacrifice. What does laying hands on the head of the sacrifice mean? Why is it that only the bulls that passed through the laying on of hands could be offered up, while myriads of other bulls in the world could not be offered up? To lay hands on a bull’s head meant that a man was identified with the bull. The bull became him, and when the bull was offered up, it meant that he was offered up. When the bull was accepted, it meant that he was accepted. Hence, the laying on of hands means identification.
The New Testament speaks of the laying on of hands many times. First Timothy 5:22 says, “Lay hands quickly on no man, nor participate in others’ sins; keep yourself pure.” Since laying hands on someone is being identified with someone, we can become identified with others’ sins if we are not careful. The meaning of the laying on of hands is identification and fellowship.
In the Old Testament, when kings and priests were appointed, someone laid hands and poured oil on their heads. Hence, the meaning of the laying on of hands is bringing men under the anointing of the Head and into the fellowship of the Body.
Today in the church the apostles are the representative members in the Body of Christ; they represent the authority of Christ. For the apostles to lay hands on the Samaritan believers meant that they acknowledged them as part of the Body. Once they were in the Body, the Spirit descended upon them. If the Samaritan believers had received the Spirit before the apostles came, it might have caused Philip to think, “The apostles can work in Jerusalem, and I can work in Samaria.” Then the saved ones in Samaria would have been separated from the ones in Jerusalem. If someone had said that there was a Philip in Samaria just as there was a Peter in Jerusalem, the principle of the Body would have been destroyed. Then there would have been two works, one in Jerusalem and the other in Samaria, and the two would not have been under one work. The case in Samaria shows that one has to be subject to the Body before there can be the anointing. The anointing did not come down until the apostles from Jerusalem came and laid their hands on the believers. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Body; it is not the Spirit of individuals. It is fundamentally wrong for individuals to seek after the Holy Spirit. Some people are deceived, and some have received evil spirits because of their individualism. Some do not see the Body. The vessel that the Lord is after today is a Body vessel, not individual vessels. Individual work and fruit can never satisfy the Lord’s heart and never achieve God’s ultimate goal. All of our work should be carried out in the principle of the laying on of hands. The laying on of hands is an acknowledgment of identification and fellowship; it is also an acknowledgment that there is only one Body.
Hebrews 6:1-2 says, “Therefore leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us be brought on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith in God, of the teaching of baptisms and of the laying on of hands, of the resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment.” These six things belong to the word of the beginning, and they can be divided into three categories. The first category includes two kinds of conduct. The second category includes two outward testimonies. The third category includes two doctrines concerning the future. The two kinds of conduct are repentance from dead works and faith in God, the two outward testimonies are baptism and the laying on of hands, and the two doctrines concerning the future are resurrection and judgment. We may not have neglected five of these things, but we have neglected one of them — the laying on of hands. Although the Bible does not explicitly tell us to practice the laying on of hands, it shows us that at the time of the apostles those who were saved were baptized, and they also received the laying on of hands. Baptism puts us into Christ, while the laying on of hands puts us into the Body. The laying on of hands is a testimony not only of our relationship with Christ but also of our relationship with the Body. It brings us under the authority of the Head so that we will no longer be independent and so that we will reject all individualistic living and work.
Paul said, “And whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or one member is glorified, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Cor. 12:26). Once you have received the laying on of hands, you are no longer an individual; you become a member in the Body. Once a man has received the laying on of hands, he should stand in his proper position.
The laying on of hands for the gift
Paul said to Timothy, “For which cause I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Tim. 1:6). This means that the gift which Timothy had received at the time of the laying on of hands needed to be revived and rekindled. First Timothy 4:14 says, “Do not neglect the gift which is in you, which was given to you by means of prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.” Here we see that the gift was given by the apostle with the presbytery by means of prophecy. They ushered Timothy into the Body through the laying on of hands, while the anointing bestowed the gift. While they laid their hands on Timothy and prayed for him, God gave one of them a prayer of prophecy, which foretold the kind of person that Timothy would be. This prayer governed the anointing. When an experienced person lays his hands on others, his prayer will become the characteristic of the life of those on whom he lays his hands. This is the authority of the Head dispensing the proper gift through the laying on of hands of the representative members. Those who receive the laying on of hands should realize that from that day on they can no longer trust in themselves and no longer be independent. They are a part of the Body, and they can no longer seek their own benefit. Even if they seek after spiritual things, they have to seek them for the sake of the Body. Thereafter, the Lord can use them or others. When other members are used, they are no longer envious. Many people work in an individualistic way, and they pursue in an individualistic way. We have to ask God to deliver us from these things in the same way that we asked Him to deliver us from sin.
Prayer with the anointing of oil
James 5:14 says, “Is anyone among you ill? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” This must be read in conjunction with 1 Corinthians 11:29-31: “For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not discern the body. Because of this many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we discerned ourselves, we would not be judged.” Some become sick because they have acted contrary to physiological laws, while others become sick because they have acted contrary to the law in the Body of Christ. If a Christian does not discern the Body and does not act according to the rule of the Body, he will surely become weak and sick. This kind of sickness requires the elders’ attention. The elders are appointed by God in a local church as representative members; they represent the Body of Christ in that locality. They should come and anoint the sick with oil. Psalm 133:2 says, “It is like the fine oil upon the head/That ran down upon the beard,/Upon Aaron’s beard,/That ran down to the hem of his garments.” The ointment was poured on Aaron’s head, and it ran down from his head to his garments. God’s ointment is on Christ’s head; it is an ointment which the Holy Spirit gives to the Son. Christians receive their ointment by coming under Christ the Head. What does it mean for a sick man to ask the elders to pray for him? Suppose a man is sick. We can understand his sickness by looking at the medicine prescribed to him. When the elders are asked to come and anoint a sick man with oil, it means that he has detached himself from the ointment. If a Christian maintains his proper standing as a member, he will not lose his anointing. He becomes sick because he has not discerned the Body. The elders should bring the sick ones under the Head and recover them to the Body. If you live in the Body, you will not lose your anointing. If you leave the Body, you either become sick or you die. Brothers and sisters, everything will be well if you really see the life of the Body and live in the Body.
The sickness in James 5 is a special kind of sickness. We know that it is a special sickness and not an ordinary one because verse 15 says, “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, it will be forgiven him.” What kind of sin did he commit? The sin he committed must have been the sin of being detached from the Body of Christ. If his sin were a personal sin, he would only need the blood, and he would be forgiven when he confessed to men and dealt with the sin. There would be no need to ask the elders to come and anoint him with oil before he could be forgiven. The anointing of the elders cannot remove sin; only the blood can wash us of our sins. Yet verse 15 says that if he sins, his sins will be forgiven. This forgiveness comes from the prayer of the elders. Hence, the sin in this verse is different from ordinary sins. This sin is the sin of walking contrary to the Body. This sin cannot be forgiven if one just prays to God; the elders need to pray for him before he can be forgiven. He has to look to others for this forgiveness.
Verse 16 is even more peculiar: “Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed. The petition of a righteous man avails much in its working.” This verse says that we should confess our sins to one another. We have to confess our sins to one another because something is wrong in the Body of Christ, and the mutual confession of sins is needed. The sick have to confess to the elders, and the elders have to confess to the sick. This shows that when one member is in trouble, the whole Body is responsible. If one member who has been healthy in all respects suddenly becomes sick, the elders have to take responsibility for it. It may be that the elders have been lacking in love. It may be that the elders have been negligent in care. Therefore, the elders have to confess these sins. As for the sick, they have to confess the sin of acting independently and the sin of detaching themselves from the Body.
Not only do we have to confess our sins to one another, but we also have to pray for one another. Praying for one another is asking that the elders pray for the sick ones and that the sick ones pray for the elders. Hence, there is always the need for love and humility in the Body. If a person is detached from the Body, he will incur spiritual sickness as well as physical sickness. Whenever he is detached from the Body, he loses the anointing. Those who are outside the Body need to realize the importance of returning to the Body and coming under the anointing.
The revelation Paul received at the time of his repentance
Acts 9 shows us two characteristics of the revelation that Paul received at the time of his repentance. On his way to Damascus, Paul saw a light from heaven, which shone around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice, saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (v. 4). The Lord said, “Why are you persecuting Me?” He did not say, “Why are you persecuting those who believe in Me?” Paul asked, “Who are You, Lord?” The Lord answered, “I am Jesus, whom you persecute” (v. 5). The Lord showed Paul that all the believers are one with Him. This is the oneness between the Head and the Body. Paul was the first one in the Bible to see the testimony of the Body. One cannot touch the members without touching the Head. Never think that you can offend the brothers without offending Christ. You must remember that anyone who touches a small member of the Body touches the Head. The hurt is in the members, but the pain is felt in the Head.
Paul was a person who was greatly used by the Lord. Yet on the way to Damascus the Lord told him, “Rise up and enter into the city, and it will be told to you what you must do” (v. 6). The Lord meant, “I will not tell you what you should do. Others will tell you.” The Lord used others to tell him what he should do. This was a revelation of the Body; it was a great revelation. The day that Paul was saved, the Lord showed him the principle of the Body. Although Paul was a vessel greatly used by the Lord, God chose another person to come to his aid. Brothers and sisters, never think that we have no need of others and that we can receive everything from the Lord by ourselves. I am not saying that we should follow blindly or that we should go along with others all the time. I am saying that we should not have the attitude that we can receive God’s word by ourselves and solve every problem by ourselves. What did Paul do? “And Saul rose from the ground; and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. And they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without seeing, and he neither ate nor drank” (vv. 8-9). Paul was in the city for three days before anyone came to tell him what to do. Had he been impatient, he would not have been able to endure this. After three days, Ananias came. The name Ananias had not been mentioned before this, and we do not see his name mentioned after this. He was not a famous person. Yet the Lord seized him by His authority and sent him to help the greatest of all apostles. The great apostle could not enlighten his understanding by himself; he needed a little brother who was not known by many to open his understanding. Once Ananias met Paul, he laid hands on Paul and said, “Saul, brother, the Lord has sent me — Jesus, who appeared to you on the road on which you were coming — so that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit” (v. 17). Laying hands on Paul and calling him “Saul, brother” led him into the Body and filled him with the Holy Spirit; this brought him under the anointing.
Often the inner leading of the Holy Spirit leads us to the leading of others; He leads us to receive help from others. If we refuse help from others, we will lose many things. Some Christians make decisions according to their own feelings. Where then is the Body? They are living fully in the realm of individualism; they do not see the Body. Brothers and sisters, please consider how many of our actions in the past were in the Body. We have to see that we are members and that we are restricted. We have to receive help from other members. May the Lord show us the Body now. The kind of people who have seen the Body are those who seek fellowship, who are afraid of making mistakes, and who dare not work individualistically.
The judgment of the brothers
Matthew 18:15-16 says, “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go, reprove him between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not hear you, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.” It does not say that your brother has to feel that he is wrong; rather, it says that if two or three brothers say that he is wrong, he is wrong. It is a matter of whether or not he is wrong. It is not a matter of whether or not he feels that he is wrong. Suppose a brother says to you, “You have offended me in a certain way.” However, you do not feel that you were wrong, and you pray. After you pray, you may still feel that you were not wrong; therefore, you may tell the brother, “Although you said that I offended you, I do not feel that way. I have prayed and still feel that I have not offended you. I did not pray lightly; I prayed seriously, but I do not feel that I was wrong. I am not reluctant to confess my wrong; I would much rather admit that I was wrong, but I do not see that I was wrong.” Then the brother may tell another brother, and both of them come and say that you are wrong. You are a humble person and do not want to refuse confession, yet you do not see any wrong. You feel that you cannot confess your wrong. After you pray again, there may still be no change. However, at that point the Lord may say, “When the brothers say that you are wrong, you are wrong no matter how you feel.”
Matthew 18:20 reveals the reason that we are wrong even when we think we are right — the brothers think we are wrong. “For where there are two or three gathered into My name, there am I in their midst.” It is wrong to take this verse as a promise. The Lord had no intention that this verse be used as the basis for seeking His presence. This verse says that when two or three are gathered into His name, He is in their midst. The meaning of being gathered into His name is to be free from individualism, no longer trusting in oneself, but standing on the ground of the Body of Christ. When we all have Christ, He will be in our midst. If two or three deny themselves and stand for Christ, the Lord will manifest Himself. When they are in harmony with one another, they will have the Body. When we stand on the ground of the Body, the Lord’s authority is there. When Christ is in our midst, we can represent Christ. Hence, when brothers see that we are wrong and we do not see that we are wrong, we should listen to the two or three rather than to ourselves. I am not saying that we should listen to others indiscriminately. I am saying that if two or three deny themselves and are gathered into the Lord’s name, we would be wise to accept and trust their judgment and to admit that we are wrong.
There are four kinds of people in the church who can represent the Body: (1) apostles, (2) elders, (3) individual believers who are commissioned by the Lord, such as Ananias who was commissioned by the Lord to speak to Paul, and (4) the two or three believers who have denied themselves and gathered into the Lord’s name. These four groups of people represent the Body. If you are wrong, the Lord will send an individual believer to come and speak to you. If you do not take the word of the individual believer, he will tell two or three other believers. If you do not take the word of the two or three believers, the elders should come to help you. You cannot act individualistically. Many unsolvable problems require the apostles to come. They are the ones the Lord has chosen particularly to represent the Body. We should inform the elders and the apostles of all important matters, lest there be any ambiguity. We should do this in order to receive their help. We cannot neglect the Body and cannot neglect the representatives of the Body. If we neglect the representatives of the Body, we will not be able to practice the Body life. May God grant us not only the revelation of the Body but also the testimony of the Body, and may He cause us to submit to the representatives of the Body.
Once a man is saved, he is brought into the fellowship of the Body. May the Lord cause us to submit not only to the Lord but also to the Body. May the Lord truly deliver us from individualistic and independent acts so that we can fully live out the Body life.